God’s Hall Of Fame
Hebrews 11: God’s Hall of fame
When I look into the faces of those who lead small groups for the wounded, I am looking into faces of faith. You have shown up. For those of you who minister to the wounded, thank you for your sacrifice of time and energy. God the Father sees your sacrifice and I am wondering if He is still making His hall of fame list and your names are included. What would be written next to your names?
Rather than read the whole chapter 11 of Hebrews, I have made several lists to help us see a pattern.
V 1
Now, faith is the substance (assurance) of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval.
Don’t you long to hear the “Well done My good and faithful servant” proclaimed God?
They believed that (v6) –
He is
He rewards those who seek Him
He is faithful
He keeps His promises
He had a better place for them: heaven
He had something better and that was the Messiah who we know.
We believe the same things and can walk in the same faith.
Abel, a shepherd, sacrificed a sheep. The cost for obedience for him was death at the hands of a jealous, angry brother.
Enoch walked with God, He knew Him and he died at what was a young age back then…365 compared to 900 for others. Enoch and Abel speak to us that an early death does not mean that we have lost favor with God. God loved them and had a better place for them.
Abraham left his homeland to follow God not knowing where he was going. This sounds like the Journey to me!
Sarah had a baby in the “too late” years
Abraham offered up Isaac his favorite son.
Isaac blessed his children
Jacob blessed his children
Joseph believed in the exodus, a promise of God, and gave instructions that his bones should be taken when they left
Moses’ parents hid him (saved his life and disobeyed the law to do it). Moses chose to give up the riches of Egypt to follow his call to be a deliver. He kept the Passover and believed in the Messiah that was to come…passed through the Red Sea.
Rahab the harlot lived because she believed God and protected the Israelites. Summed up with these words: From weakness made strong. Endured hardships, death, torture, mockings, scourging, chains, imprisonments, stones, sown in two, tempted, put to death, destitute, afflicted, ill treated, wondering in deserts, mountains, caves and holes in the ground. (Homeless)
Most of these were very peculiar people. Old woman, a harlot, a lying patriarch, a murder, an adulterous man, a deceiver, a timid man who tested God, a man given up for adoption.
When you minister to the wounded, you don’t know their stories and may be thinking, “Will I be enough?”
We are called to be those who will plant seeds of truth, love, grace, and mercy: by faith. And the soil of the lives of the wounded is often hard, full of thorns, weeds, and rocks and dry because of undealt with abuse and self sabotaging behaviors.
By faith, we are called to see beyond the hardness, denial, and anger, the shut down and see the same thing that God saw in the Hebrews 11 crowd and us. They are here because of faith. God led them here. And they also hope for a better place.
I challenge you to believe that God is with you when you minister to the wounded. He is there to bring growth, give life, and keep his promises. So get down on your knees, put on the velvet gloves as you prepare the soil in which to plant seeds of truth and love. We don’t use a columbine or a rake to dig for treasure, to search for beauty of God in each person. When we show up by faith and do our part, who knows what God will do?
Sandy Burdick
7 comments to “God’s Hall Of Fame”
Linda Vance - July 21, 2014
Thank you, Sandy, for your faith-inducing words for leaders engaging in the stories of others.
I’m so grateful for all who have taken that leap of faith in my life and entered my story with all it’s weeds, thorns, rocky, difficult places!!! They truly are heroes of faith! Believing in the possibilities for my life! I’m deeply grateful!!!
Gigi - July 21, 2014
Thank you Sandy for this encouragement from God’s word. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. What a privilege to watch God alone set someone free!
Jennifer - July 22, 2014
Thank you. I needed this.
Mark Peak - July 22, 2014
Powerful words Sandy Burdick. It is a great reminder of what all our stories can mean and how God redeems and uses the least of us for something more. Amen and praise Him always.
Donna Evans - July 22, 2014
Dearest Sandy thank you for such encouragement, I need to read this every morning! I think of you so often and will be
forever grateful for how God has used you in my life and the lives of thousands around the world. We truly are precious
to our Savior!
Joan Curtis - July 23, 2014
As a brand new leader in training, I am moved and inspired by your words Sandy. I am trusting God to show up in powerful ways in the lives of Journey members and leaders this Fall. Thank you for your undying passion for the wounded.
Laura McPherson - July 26, 2014
Thank you, Sandy. I love your encouraging words and the call to remember God is in charge and we can trust Him to do His work in us – no matter what it looks like.